Many analysts believed, present company included, that Caleb Williams was dropped into the best situation of any No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft in the history of the sport.
Unfortunately, I have more questions than answers about Williams entering the 2025 NFL season after a dismal finish to his rookie campaign that saw him lose 10 straight games after starting 4-2.
After another offseason filled with encouraging moves to tweak the roster, should 2025 be considered a make-or-break year for Williams?
On the surface, Williams’ 3,541 yards and 20 touchdowns to just six interceptions doesn’t look all that bad for a rookie quarterback.
Yet, if you watched those games… it would be difficult to construct an argument that Williams played well in 2024.
After starting 4-2, Williams went four straight games without throwing a single touchdown pass, which included two games where he failed to top 140 yards passing.
This may have been a bit more excuseable if Williams was throwing to the receivers we see on the Carolina Panthers or New England Patriots, but failing to generate any offensive production with DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, and Cole Kmet to throw to feels more concerning than it does encouraging.
Fortunately for Williams, the Bears landed former Detriot Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as the new head coach — which should help put Williams in a far better position to succeed with a proven playcaller constructing game plans.
Another shift the Bears took this offseason was to improve the offensive line in front of Williams, which was evident when general manager Ryan Poles traded for Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney to shore the guard positions and signing C Drew Dalman to further fortify the interior of the offensive line.
Many will point to the poor offensive line play, who gave up 68 sacks in 2024, as a reason for Williams’ struggles — but often will excuse the plethora of sacks that fell on the quarterback from holding the football too long.
Ben Johnson saw firsthand what an elite offensive line can do to help a quarterback perform at high level in Detroit. Adding three interior offensive lineman by trading away draft capital and paying market value for a center certainly feels like an appropriate way to put Williams in a better position to succeed in 2025.
Yet, I see it as a way of removing any potential excuses for Williams’ poor play in 2025. The USC product has plenty of physical tools and is surrounded by quality pass-catchers in Chicago. He now has an improved offensive line and a great playcaller to rely on too.
At this point, if Williams doesn’t drastically improve his play in 2025, then it may be time to take a closer look at their No. 1 overall pick as the problem in Chicago.